Soul Surfer

Soul Surfer
/sohl serf-er/ – noun; 1. A term coined in the 1970s, used to describe a talented
surfer who surfs
for the sheer pleasure of it. Although they may still enter competitions,
a
Soul Surfer’s motives
go beyond winning.Laura:
Bethany Hamilton (AnnaSophia Robb, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory")
grew up in a Kauai surfing family and was a top rated competitor by her early
teens. Out with family friend Holt Blanchard (Kevin Sorbo, TV's 'Hercules:
The Legendary Journeys') and his kids to prep for an upcoming regional event,
her world was turned upside down where her arm was taken by a shark.
But after joining a church mission to aid Pacific tsunami victims, Bethany's
spirit brought her back to the sport as a true "Soul Surfer."

This is an inspirational sports drama stuffed full of Christian values and
CGI that draws the eye in ways both good and bad. The film breaks out
its religious underpinnings right off the bat as Bethany's called from the
surf to join an outdoor church service. The Hamilton family (father
Tom (Dennis Quaid), mom Cheri (Helen Hunt) and two older brothers) is fun
loving and supportive and squeaky clean. Bethany's almost scandalized
when her best friend Alana (Lorraine Nicholson, daughter of Jack) buys a bikini.
But boy, can that girl surf.

Adapted from Hamilton's book by the 'Baywatch' team of Douglas and Deborah
Schwartz & Michael Berk along with director Sean McNamara (Disney TV's
'That’s So Raven'), "Soul Surfer" hits all the inspirational sports movie
elements. There's the abrupt obstacle which threatens to take our heroine
down, followed by an event which gives her the strength to get back on her
surf board. The best friend is also a competitor and each cheers the
other on. But there is also the villainous rival, Malia Birch (Miss
Hawaii Teen USA 2004 Sonya Balmores Chung), who's eventually worn down by
Bethany's sheer goodness and sportsmanship. Strong moral values are
a constant but the screenwriters also dubiously suggest that Bethany's accident
would not have happened had she not reneged on a promise to youth-group leader
Sarah Hill (American Idol Carrie Underwood) to take part in a Mexican mission.

The filmmakers stage the shark attack almost like a pop up - it's suddenly
there and just as suddenly gone (the real Bethany never even saw the 14 foot
tiger shark). Instead they wisely put their focus on the pulse racing
rescue, where Holt's quick thinking got the girl from the water to a local
hospital, 60% of her blood lost, but not her life. (If dad Tom was really
on the verge of surgery, halted to take his daughter's emergency in, truth
really is stranger than fiction.)

Surfing scenes are really well done, giving a sense of not just the euphoria
of catching a great wave but the pounding one takes getting pushed under.
Hamilton, who is 6 inches taller than Robb, did many of the film's stunts
and face replacement CGI is sometimes clearly evident. A coda outlining the
events we've just seen with the real live girl just underlines the Hollywoodization
she's undergone - Hamilton is your average American teen, not the glowing
doe-eyed beauty portrayed by AnnaSophia Robb.